Naritha, the Lady of Vaehimmar, stretched her legs out with her back up against one of the great Koiynn trees of the Absidean Forest. Her horse grazed a few feet away, the starlight shimmering off his copper coat. She often came into the forest, nearly every day. It was easy for her to claim she was harvesting or hunting within the dense trees. Few people ventured into the forest anymore since Vaehimarr had joined the Nvarya trading system. They had decided the risk was no longer worth the reward. The forest could be dangerous for those who could not tap into the Vae. Naritha was one of the few who could still reach into the lifelines of the forest.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the Koiynn bark. The steady flow of its life force rushed along the back of her head. She could sense all the bugs that lived within the Koiynn, hear their soft scratching as they scurried up and down. She new the layout of the anthill to her left, knew all the tunnels and chambers as if she herself had called it home. She relaxed further and inhaled the sticky sweet smell of sap and pine. She felt the soft pressure of her horse’s hooves through the moss as they sunk in. She could have easily found her way around the forest in the dead of night with her eyes shut. She barely needed to follow the Vae anymore, she had it mapped perfectly.

Her breathing began to slow, and she yawned in unison with the sugar glider in the canopy above. The distant rustling of the leaves grew louder as the breeze grew into wind. She grimaced as branches snapped and vines whipped under the flash of lightning. She jolted as the electricity coursed through the ground, but the Vae was wrapped around her, holding her to it and she couldn’t open her eyes or move.  

Dra’vtair en Valimae

A voice drifted across the lines, it vibrated through the ground and up into her spine. Daughter of the Valimae. Daughter of the goddess. She smelt the rain, felt its drops bounce off the canopy leaves and soak into the ground before she felt it on her own skin. A scream rose from the wind, the grass, moss, the trees, and every animal of the forest joined the chorus. The taste of blood filled her mouth, but she couldn’t cough, couldn’t swallow.

Naritha erev en lesve Xrit’ah

Her eyes snapped open, pupils fully dilated. Her horse gave an anxious nicker.

“I’m alright” she answered him. There was no wind, no rain, the ground was dry, everything was dry. She pushed herself away from the Koiynn’s trunk and looked up into the thick canopy. What little sky she could see was clear, stars twinkling in small clusters. She ran her tongue over her teeth but the taste of blood was gone. She focused on breathing slowly, nothing like that had ever happened before when she was traversing the Vae. Who was that voice? She gently touched the Vae searching for any sign that someone else was there, but her mind reached nothing but a small herd of deer. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on her. Naritha stepped around the Koiynn and into the cluster of trees on the edge of the clearing. Long thick vines hung from the tree like tentacles all knotted and tangled in each other. If she hadn’t been looking so closely, she probably would not have noticed the glint of silver among the brown and green. The feeling of being watched grew stronger as she inched closer.

She lined up her feet and stepped slowly and carefully like she did when she was hunting. The vines moved. She stopped, one foot raised off the ground. Two green eyes glinted back at her, entangled in the vines. Her own whiskey-colored eyes narrowed and she pressed her lips together trying to make herself as silent as possible. She couldn’t feel anything living through the grip of the vines, but there was something there. Something that was meant for her. She reached her hand out and a soft humming filled her ears. She gently pulled the vines aside and the silver blade of a sword glinted with two emeralds staring back at her on the hilt.

The stomp of my daughter’s boots undoubtedly tracking mud into the manor made me cringe. Would she ever learn to have some sort of class? I turned to scold her yet again for wearing her riding boots into the house and there they were glaring bright and green under the torch light. All the saliva left my mouth and I couldn’t swallow. My chest tightened as she approached me the sword, Xrit’ah, bouncing at her hip, the emeralds catching the light. She stopped in front of me.

“You recognize this sword?” I did recognize that sword but I forced myself to look away from that awful weapon. Her voice was sharp, she had a heavier accent than I did. Something she picked up from squandering around in the outer ring of the city.

“Can you at least attempt to hide that ugly accent you have picked up. You must speak correctly when addressing me Naritha. I can’t stand that your need to scamper around in the mud and dirt like some commoner as put such a permanent stamp on you”

She rolled her eyes. “I asked a question. It’s rude for you not to answer. Sir Lord, kingship, whatever”

“Well it’s awfully dark in here and I’m really too busy right now, dear” I started to walk away but she ripped the sword off her belt and held it out in her hands in front of me. I stiffened as the engraving caught the light “Xrit’ah Virendra Sva’tae”    

“It’s mother’s isn’t it? I found it in the forest.”

“Hmm. Yes, it does appear to be.” I turned away again, desperate to get away from those glittering emeralds.

“What exactly happened to mother? We’ve heard the story from everyone except you.”

I hesitated. I had to tell her something. They all deserved some explanation. They were nearly adults now.

“Fine, gather your brother and sister.”

~

“My children, it is the darkest of all our tales, at least of the ones I know to be true. The tale of Queen Virendra, The Exorcist of the Obsidian, your mother. I know you have heard it before. Different versions of the same story can get…well the truth can get muddled. This time I am going to tell you everything. Your mother would want you to know.

People were going missing, their bodies found in bits and chunks. It had no mercy, no soul, it took anyone, women, children, farmers, warriors. Everyone was terrified, anyone who set foot in those dense trees was never seen again. The forest is our life, we get everything from there, we were starving, horses lay butchered in the field, our rivers were tainted with blood, even the snow bit harder.

We stood vigil at the temple, sacrificed what we could, and begged for forgiveness. In one voice, we all begged for our goddess to help, there was no answer. Through the dying light, I could see Endra, her golden eyes burned hot embers. After that there was no stopping her, no reasoning with her, we both knew what she had to do. The next day she and I organized the guard. I thought that the goddess had chosen her.”

“You should not be the one to go. You always do this.” I pleaded.   

“What is this exactly? Save the city? Fight to make the forest safe for our children?”

“It’s not your responsibility.”

“If not mine then whose?” She fastened her sword to her waist and glared. “Yours? Ha.” She walked past me out of the room her fingers twisting her charcoal hair into tiny braids on the side of her head. I followed, desperate to get through to her.  

“Endra, you mustn’t do this. The children need a mother–

“And they shall have one.” I struggled to keep up with her as she whipped around corners.   

“You…are a… queen” I huffed, but she wasn’t listening anymore.

The head of the royal guard stepped up to her, Daevarr. Endra openly looked him over. She knew there was nothing I could do about her affair. The people loved her too much. I would be facing mutiny before the axe even touched her neck. Daevarr, ever the professional, tried to hide his smile but not before I saw it. He started to launch into his plan of attack. Endra held up a hand to stop him before he could get too far.

“We need to get going before the entire day is wasted with planning.” He dipped his head and she squeezed his shoulder. I swallowed the bile of jealousy riding up in my throat. What did it matter, we hadn’t married for love.

“Endra, please, just for one moment think about what you are doing.” She turned her back to me, her long ponytail swinging between her shoulders the twisted braids on the side of her head  like roots in the dim light. “You are not a simple peasant on the streets anymore! You can’t go running off to be some hero! You are supposed to be in charge of the heroes!!” Leading them from afar!” She stopped, her hand on the door to the dining hall, where her crew was waiting. She stood there a moment, she didn’t even look like she was breathing. Suddenly, she launched into motion. I doubled over clutching my stinging cheek her shadow sprawled over me hand still raised.

“You think this is about heroics?” She hissed. “People are dying, our home is rotting right under our feet. And you are concerned with heroics? You’re a coward, Rajan.” I didn’t look up at her, my eyes were blurred with tears. Coward. Her boots turned and Daevarr’s followed. The great wooden doors creaked open and slammed shut. I clenched my fist and wiped my eyes.

My cheek still burned as I entered the main hall. One of the long tables was packed with warriors, shields, clubs, axes, and swords, clinking together in the rustle of armor. Endra strode with purpose and didn’t even slow down as she approached the table. The two warriors she was marching towards squashed together so she could step up onto the bench and up onto the table. Everyone fell silent. I stood by the door watching her. Her gaze swept over the group, the silver of swords glinted in her amber eyes. She unsheathed her own sword, Xrit’ah, a long graceful weapon with a beautiful hilt full of textured silver on solid black like starlit tree branches in the velvet sky. Two emeralds glittered in between the scattered lines of silver, like two eyes glinting through the night. She slammed the blade into the table, wood splintered.

“The forest grows black. Silent. The smell of rotting flesh fills our noses.” She stepped down the table, the buckles on her boots clicking with each step. “We bury bodies, our brothers, sisters, lovers, our children.” She met each of their eyes. Her voice steady, strong, but comforting. “I will not see another Draak suffer.” For a moment, she was quiet, gazing ahead. Her expression was impossible to read as she stood at the end of the table, the tips of her boots hanging over the edge, but it was only for a moment. Then she turned and faced her band of warriors. “Abisyien F’voret vvorn de Draak!” The guard chanted and cheered, banging their weapons on the table, slapping their shields and axes together. Not one questioned her, they trusted her in a way I could never get them to trust me.

“Endra stood in the middle of that fray of applause and I raised my sword to her. She ripped Xrit’ah from the wood and nodded to me. She pointed the blade towards the door and every warrior leapt from the table without hesitation, we were all ready to follow her into whatever hell awaited. I shouted “Abisyien F’voret vvorn de Draak” The Obsidian Forest belongs to the Draak and they all echoed it back. Lord  and Lady of Vaehimarr, side by side, marched into the forest that morning. We were united and it felt as if together we could not lose. Your mother was a hero. We were just fools.” 

“Let our weapons be sharp and our shields strong! This spirit is nothing but vapor in our wake!” The guard party was roaring thunder and everything was spiraling out of control. I tried to catch Endra’s eye but she had forgotten me already. Daevarr stepped up to the table and she used his shoulder to vault to the floor. They were crowding by the door Endra and Daevarr’s hands brushing, fingers squeezing, their eyes locked, their steps in perfect sync. They were strong, a team, and I was alone with one word, coward.

“Wait. WAIT” My voice boomed around the walls. The guard fell silent their eyes all just registering that their true leader was present. Their Lord, was addressing them. I drew myself up and yanked a sword out of the weapons rack next to me. It was heavy and I barely managed to keep it from dragging the ground. “I will be coming with you.” Silence. Now Endra was trying to catch my eye but I ignored her and gazed over my guard. Whispers rushed through the party and slowly all of their eyes drifted to Endra. Her eyebrows were raised in open shock her lips twitched as she fought a smile.

“You uh… you really want to do this?” She put her hands on her hips and looked me up and down.

“Yes.” I answered firmly.

“Alright then, give us your best swing, your lordship” She gestured dramatically, her arm swooping out in front of her in an arch. I lifted the heavy sword and swung with everything I had. My upper body jerked off balance but I tightened my shoulders and managed to right myself without moving my feet. The corner of Endra’s mouth twitched. The guard stayed silent, eyes flickering between us.

“Lacks finesse, but not bad.” She shrugged her eyes glittering like flames in flickering light.

“She made us all go on foot. Said there was no need to risk the horses, they would only slow us down in the dense undergrowth anyway. She was probably right but I think we all felt vulnerable without a mount. Your mother had a plan. She didn’t tell the rest of the group and only told me just before we entered the forest.”

Endra and Daevarr were standing close to the shadowed trees. Branches stretched out of the forest like claws reaching towards us. The two of them were deep in conversation. My shoes crunched in the frostbitten grass as I made my way over to them.

“So, what’s the plan” I asked as I struggled to buckle my sword around my waist. Daevarr seemed to be trying to get her to understand something, her eyes lingered on him for a moment before they snapped to me.  

“I will use the Vae.” Daevarr shook his head and turned away. I stiffened and my sword smacked into the ground with an unsettling thwack.  

“The Vae? You can’t you could be–

“I know what could happen” She crossed her arms. “And it probably will happen, but it will also lure the spirit to us. I can push it out long enough for you guys to kill it. It will be weakened and be forced to take another host, or into its true form. Burn it or whatever it possesses. She looked between us. Daevarr avoided her eyes, his expression grim.

“You’re insane.” I breathed. Endra snorted and marched ahead toward the black trees.

For a moment I watched her go, her long dark grey pony tail swinging between her shoulders. She was a true leader in a way I could never be. I knew that. But she would have been nothing without me. She would have stayed living in some barn with hay bales for furniture Daevarr stooped and picked up my sword off the ground.

“She wasn’t afraid of anything, your mother. No, not at all. She had a plan to use the Vae. She was going to taunt the spirit, let the Vae, the lifelines of the forest run through her. Open her mind to it and all that possessed it. It was madness, and genius. The spirit wasn’t likely prepared to deal with a true Draakvorn, so few of us could use the Vae, even fewer now. It was a gamble. She didn’t tell the entire team the plan, just me and her lead commander, Daevarr. She said we were to come with her into the Heart. Only she’d have had the guts to walk right in there. She did everything that way. Chin jutted out, back straight, oozing pride. The people admired her, worshiped her even.

            At first, we could still see the sky, count the faint stars, follow the Dwarf’s light, but after about an hour it was only blackness. We were following our intuition about the forest, trying to feel the softest life lines. Nothing like really using the Vae but it was all most of us could do. The spirit had stolen all the color, all the bioluminescence of the forest, nothing could penetrate that darkness. Each of us reached for the person ahead, blind, except Endra. She used the Vae as her eyes. She stopped us in a clearing to regroup and give us all a break. Except there wasn’t all of us. Three of us were missing, just gone, disappeared.”

Swords drawn and everyone spinning in the darkness. Three of us just gone. Disappeared and there was nothing. Endra just kept counting over and over. I could see her lips moving in the shadows and her stunned expression as she came to the same conclusion each time. People were shouting names into the shadows. Panic was setting like concrete inside me and I couldn’t blink, breathe, move. I just kept looking at Endra, searching for the sureness that had existed in her face just an hour earlier. She was frozen too, her hand still in the air trying to count. It was clear they were gone. Everyone desperately searched the shadows, but not daring to move deeper into them. Everything was silent, until a horrible croaking laughter drifted up from the nothingness. It rumbled from somewhere deep within my own heart, my bones vibrated as the sound grew. Heads spun around, hands groped in the dark, but no one made so much as a whisper. It was impossible to tell where it was coming from, it came from everywhere and nowhere. Wings fluttered though no one could see any birds and the trees rustled in the dead air.

“Endra tried to restore order. It was just a raven, that’s what she said, but none of us believed it, but we kept going. We had to end this. I pushed the fear aside and walked beside your mother, she needed someone to restore her confidence after having had three people taken right out from under her. I convinced her to find the line again, lead us to the Heart so we could exorcise the forest. The team moved behind us. We all knew not all of us would make it, but none of us could have foreseen…I just thought we had a chance.

We walked for a while longer. Time was odd in the forest, it was impossible to know just how long it had really been. We all walked in a crowded mass now, trying to keep an eye on everyone.”

The blindness, helplessness, was rooting down deep inside me, cultivating a slow breeding terror. I tried to just focus on Endra, the silver on her hilt reflected in the trickles of starlight, it was the only flash of hope I could cling to. I didn’t dare look up because I knew there was nothingness, and that terrified me. She was walking with her eyes closed, her fingertips stretched out brushing the plants on either side of her, she was feeling out the Vae, but she hadn’t tapped into it fully. Her hands quivered now, not steady like they had been before…before the raven. It was just a raven, sometimes they could be creepy, it just imitated someone’s laugh. I quickened my pace until I was right behind Endra. Her steps were sure and silent in the thick moss under our feet. The blackness seemed to ebb and flow, shadows growing larger even though barely any light made it through the thick canopy. Daevarr pushed aside a tangle of vines for Endra to slip through. His hand brushed her spine as she ducked under. I clenched my jaw. He knew I was right behind them, he didn’t care either. Neither of them did. Endra thought she had everything, thought she didn’t need me. They both thought I was some sort of spineless idiot, not worthy to be the Lord.

            I scowled into the forest. The blackness drifted on endlessly with the occasional crack of starlight but even that couldn’t hold. The cracks of light would blink in and out, at first it was too fast to register and I thought maybe the wind was moving the trees, making their leaves block out the light but when I squinted I could just make out shadowy figures silhouettes for a second. I whirled around, starlight winked in the night all around us. The shapes moved soundlessly through the trees, too fast to comprehend. I opened my mouth to say something or maybe to scream but only a pathetic gurgle made it past my lips. An icy cold tingled through my skin and down every one of the nerves in my body. Endra was still walking with her eyes shut, hands sprawled out on either side like she was welcoming the death that so surely awaited us. Did she know? Could she feel them through the Vae?

            “Endra.” but it was only a whisper. “E–

“Someone screamed, it was a sound I can never forget. High and desperate like the scream of a frog being slowly suffocated alive in the jaws of a snake. But the sound of her ripping flesh and bones cracking was worse. It was over so fast that the sound seemed to echo on. None of us saw anything, only heard her death. Cyrca was gone.

“Move.” Endra shoved me out of the way, Xrit’ah drawn, the emeralds sparkling even in the dim light. Daevarr was next to her, weapon held out. I was frozen my hand stuck to the hilt of the sword at my waist. For a moment Cyrca’s scream echoed on in the flat stillness. The stench of blood drifted heavy in the air. I pressed my shaking hand to my lips, holding back vomit. One of the guards next to me sniffed and I could see the sparkle of tear tracks lining his nose. Something changed but I couldn’t see what it was I just saw Endra crouch down and weapons sprung to life around her. I scuffled to the side so I could see over a small red headed woman. A huge black wolf with glowing red eyes was melting out of the Obsidian. It moved with slow steadiness on soundless paws over the spongy blue moss. Hackles flat, no growl rose from its chest, it only moved closer and closer. Not a single person attacked, or even moved, for as the wolf, the thing, approached its nose crinkled and its lips curved upward into a horrific smile.

“It was an abomination. I was nearest to it angled a little in front of Endra, to protect her. It was sickening, a clear horrible mockery from the spirit. I swung my sword and the thing dodged it and kept advancing. The guard was backing away behind me. I could hear them praying, muttering exorcisms. Nothing worked. Then someone shouted “Just leave!”. The wolf paused one paw raised mid step. Its head slowly cocked to one side. That smile never left its ugly face. That’s when the forest exploded in chaos. Sabertooths, wolves, jungle cats they ripped through the shadows their eyes glowing, their movements unnatural. They laughed with each victim they took. Your mother and I stayed close to each other, fighting back to back at first, but we got separated. A sabertooth grabbed me. Well you know that part, that’s how got this nasty scar on my arm. Your mother appeared just when it was looking bleak for me, long fangs had flayed the flesh clear to the bone and my weapon was out of reach. She plunged that very sword you’re holding, Ritha, right into its heart.”

Jaws snapped and skin ripped. My arm. Pain so excruciating I screamed and screamed. I was flailing and kicking and the wolf laughed, the smell of my blood hot on its breath.

“Help, help!” I was going to die. I couldn’t feel my arm. Oh, god had it eaten my arm? It’s deep growling laugh went on and on, so close to human. Its weight was crushing my chest. I couldn’t breathe in between sobs I was choking. Blood flowed and the laughter was everywhere, inside me, rumbling through the ground and filling the sky with screams. The wolf let out a short snarl and then a yelp as its weight was flung off me. My eyes snapped open expecting some worse horror. Green jeweled eyes glared down at me from silver branches. It was only for a second as Xrit’ah arced over my head and wedged into the side of the wolf, but those emeralds seemed to linger there in the empty space above me.

She bent down and grabbed me by my shirt dragging me to my feet. She was shouting but her voice was lost in the laughing, screaming, blood, flesh tearing like old leather. I couldn’t focus on Endra she was blurring and oozing with the blackness. Her lips were moving as she grabbed my shoulders, her gold eyes filled my vision and I wanted to strangle her. This was all her, her heroics, boredom, power. Whatever it was it was her, and we were all going to die.

“We are going to die.” My voice was flat her gold eyes swam like wildflower honey pots.

“Rajan.” Her calloused palms were rough on my cheeks and her nails dug into my skin. “We have to get to the heart.”

“The heart…It’s over Endra. We are dying right here. Right now,” She closed her eyes for a second and for a moment I thought she might cry.

“We can still make it there. We have to stop the spirit at whatever the cost.” Something cold and rounded was prodding my hand.

“Here.” Daevarr had materialized out of the battle and was trying to shove my sword into my hand. My fingers closed around it’s cold hilt and my eyes drifted up to his.

“Oh, you’re alive.”

Daevarr actually had the nerve to look confused and hurt. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words were lost as Endra pressed her lips into his. He melted into her and their bodies formed perfectly around each other. I stiffened and the chaos only yards away muted. I couldn’t look away. It all lasted only a moment, less than a minute but it slowed down in front of me. Their lips broke apart and she leaned her forehead against his. They breathed in unison, lips parted, noses touching, chests pressed together, her hand on his neck and his on her waist. It was something, someone, I didn’t have and longing boiled to the surface. It was love, respect, admiration in and all over them both. It stunned me and turned my knuckles white on the hilt of my nameless weapon.

“The death count was rising. Your mother grabbed my hand and dragged me to the edge of the fray, Daevarr caught up with us. The three of us paused there for a moment. Just a moment to breathe. We locked eyes with one another, each of us accepting that this might be it. Whatever lay ahead would…would really be the end. We crept through the trees, silent, and our eyes open wide trying to take in every shadow, flicker of light, rustle in the darkness. Endra’s eyes were closed again, clinging to the Vae for guidance. Time passed slowly and quickly all at once, all I remember is that it felt like mere minutes before the horrible noses of the massacre behind us were lost to the forest. None of us talked only the sound of our breathing permeated the silence.”

“Just stare ahead. Don’t look into the shadows.” Endra’s voice sounded far away though she was only a few feet in front of me. I couldn’t focus even though the sound of slaughter had died away almost immediately I could still smell the blood and the moss squelched under my boots. Don’t look into the shadows. I could hear the rustle of leaves, the growls of animals and Endra’s breathing. Her breath floated out of her mouth in the cold, curling slowly until it dissipated into nothingness. Don’t look into the shadows. The trees were thinning and the moss laden floor was becoming patchy with dirt.

“The forest thinned into a huge clearing. The smell. Death, rotting corpses and stale blood smacked into us. It nearly knocked me off my feet even your mother slowed down for a moment. The Heart of the Obsidian was corrupted, decaying. The ground was thick with black soil, nothing grew except a massive tree. Branches grew in odd directions reaching up, interlocking with all the branches above us. Its leaves glistened with a clear film that dripped like thick dew to the ground and something ozzed from the bark. This “bark” was smooth and oily but thick like tar and dribbled down the trunk, clumping up together in a slow rippling gunk at the base.”   

“Ugh, the smell.” I put my hand to my nose and swayed, my eyes darted around the clearing, sure the spirit would show up and kill us. Endra had positioned herself, under the horrific tree her eyes closed and her lips parted as she reached into the Vae. I couldn’t watch her, couldn’t stand to look at that tree with its oozing deep red tar or the maddening sound of the endless dribbling of slime from the leaves. Daevarr stepped up next me, his expression stoic, his sword drawn. I drew my weapon and struggled to keep the point steady. Endra gasped behind us. I tensed straining my eyes to try to see anything.

Nothing. Drip. Endra’s boot slid out as she jerked and kicked me in the heel. Drip. A croaking gurgle escaped her lips. Drip. Her voice giggled but it was too low pitched to be a giggle from her. I glanced at Daevarr my hands couldn’t grip the sword. What if we had to burn Endra? What if she couldn’t stop it. The laughter was growing louder. Daevarr was holding the matches, his face, unreadable but his eyes glistened. Dirt was flying as Endra flailed her feet. I squeezed my eyes shut, those emerald jewel eyes of Xrit’ah burned behind my lids glittering through the darkness. She was going to plunge that sword right into my back.

“What are you doing?” I tried to snatch the matches out of Daevarr’s hand but he was faster and spun to face me holding the matches out of reach.

“Give her more time.” A wailing groan morphed into a scream behind us.

“Burn her! It’s going to kill us!” Wind blew through the clearing silencing us both. Daevarr turned to Endra his lips pressed together. She was on her back, eyes wide and staring up at the oozing branches. Red tar dripped onto her face. A sound like thunder, boomed loud, louder rising over the wind, a roaring yell, though Endra’s mouth was firmly shut. Something was taking shape in the darkness, materializing.

“The spirit was being forced into its true form. Lumps of flesh piled together, mismatched animal parts sewn to one being. It didn’t have a singular face and the feral eyes of beasts glowed all over its body. It had long arms like roots and fingers sharp as knives. We fought, it was futile.

The hundreds of eyes seemed to only follow me as I paced around the edge. Daevarr was trying to light a match but it kept flickering out before he could ignite the huge stick in his hand. The spirit’s clawed arm lashed out. Daevarr blocked with his sword. Metal clashed with wood but Daevarr was falling behind, it was too fast. It had no weak point, no way to surprise it. I couldn’t fight that thing. Why me? Why couldn’t Endra have just kept on laughing. Told me to stay behind. Why did I have to come with them? Daevarr‘s attack had become random and desperate. I watched silently praying. Someone one end this. Against everything in me I looked back at Endra, she was on one knee using Xrit’ah to support herself as she struggled to join Daevarr.

“Daevarr was an experienced soldier and the spirit flung him like a sack. He was already dead when I got to him, his chest clawed open.”

Daevarr hit the ground with a squelch-thud that made my stomach churn. He rolled to his side blood on the corners of his mouth.

“The matches had been flung from Daevarr’s hand but it was impossible to see in the dark where they landed.”

The matches and the branch were right in front of me. The spirit was approaching. My eyes went back to Daevarr but he was looking at Endra, his hand flat in the dirt, fingers reaching. A rage burned in me, she was all he cared about and Endra, well she was moving towards him still using her sword as a cane. They just wanted to be heroes, together. As if what they had wasn’t enough. My boots scuffled through the soil, the matches were right at my feet.

“I tried to fight but my injured arm slowed me down. If only I had been stronger. The spirit overtook me and I was knocked unconscious. Just before everything faded away I heard your mother’s scream as the spirit repossessed her.”

The matches were in my left hand my sword pointed at the ground in my right. Endra had turned towards the spirit but the spirit was facing me. It stopped moving its many eyes all on me, waiting. Endra was trying to get closer, to seize the moment and attack, save the day. How like her. The tragic hero from a humble background. I saved her from the streets. I gave her a place to live, gave her everything she ever wanted. All she had to do was stand beside me but she had never supported me, not once. Never had she taken my side shown me any respect.

Only ever shoved her affair down my throat, her betrayal. And him Daevarr, he had never been any better. He followed her orders, never considered me a factor. Never thought I was in charge of my own kingdom. His face was buried in the black dirt and her amber eyes were locked with mine.  

 “I cared deeply for your mother.”

 I turned the box of matches over and dumped every last one of them onto the ground.

“She just wasn’t strong enough.”

She was standing on her own now, but swaying, still weak. I watched her expression morph from pleading to shock. The emeralds of Xrit’ah glistened like tears. All those feral eyes followed my every move. I turned away, laughter erupted from the spirit and reverberated through the forest. Endra screamed into the night after me. I ran through the forest, darting shadows cackled through the trees. My screams, Endra’s scream and the awful laughter swirled together until it was all cackling in the shadows melting into the darting shapes through the trees, and I was one of them.

“It wasn’t until weeks later that we found her body. The forest had become safe, the corruption gone. I took a group back but it took us days to find the heart. That horrible tree was black and burned, no leaves had survived on it. The soil was still dark but plants were beginning to grow and the dark canopy over head was full of blue flowers. Your mother…was barely recognizable. We buried what we could find of  her there in the heart. She got a hero’s burial. Virendra the Exorcist of the Obsidian will forever be the savior of Vaehimarr.”

They had found Xrit’ah only a few feet away, lying with the rotting remains of her lower right arm, dried blood on the blade.  She could have just given up, but she had to save us. I sucked in a breath. I couldn’t have saved her, even if I had stayed. Coward. Worse than. I chewed my lip and watched the dirt pile up on her small corpse. The soil dulled the shine on the emeralds but still the eyes of Xrit’ah stared, unblinking, up at me.